Good news, the Clee Hills Trial is back! Put 20th January 2019 in your diary.

The long-standing organising team are now bolstered by some extra willing helpers, bringing their experiences on both 2 and 4 wheels, so January’s event in Shropshire is on the ACTC calendar for 2019.

Open to competitors on 2, 3 and 4 wheels, we aim to continue our track record of getting all classes well matched and equally successful whilst enjoying a great day’s classic trial in the lovely Shropshire scenery.

The route will start and finish from the Squirrel Pub SY8 1LP near Ludlow, next door to an adjacent Travelodge, SY8 1LS, ample trailer parking close by at the Ludlow Park & Ride and fuel on the site too. There’s room for on-site scrutineering which we hope to run both on the evening before and in the morning.

The route is refreshed, featuring more tracks and less mud, yet still running the twin loop system that gets us all done in the mid-winter daylight. Come and have (another) go at epic sections like Priors Holt 1, Hungerford, Jenny Wind and Meadowley Wood.

About 70 miles around Wenlock Edge, along the spectacular ridge of the delightful Long Mynd, some old lanes and some woodland tracks, and relatively non-damaging in our Class 0 option.

The event will run as a Dual Permit, with Clubmans accommodating those entrants without a comps license, for example MCC drivers. VSCC triallers continue to be especially welcome, bringing delight to other drivers’, the marshals and spectators alike.

As we state and recognise, motorsport can be dangerous and in our specialism it is often the case that for a car driver having made an ‘almost successful’ climb, the task of safely and confidently reversing his steed back down a slippery, uneven and twisting track when perhaps surrounded by marshals, spectators, trees and banks, can prove daunting. Whilst the car can be relatively stable under power on the ascent, it can prove wayward under the influence of gravity and any loss of control.

ACTC Committee here propose guidelines that may be offered to competitors in the form of best practice to follow, though of course they are not mandatory. It is not possible to allow for every scenario and vehicle type, but the following is the reversing process to adopt in typical trialling circumstances.

These guidelines aim to accommodate the different behaviour of ‘Older’ cars (likely to have a 4 wheel handbrake and no steering column lock) and the more ‘Modern’ ones (likely to have servo brakes and power steering for example). We can ‘Brake Down’ the principles here through the summary A.B.S. – in this case Awareness, Braking and Steering.

1. Preparation

Awareness:

ensure you have good side and rear visibility around your car from the driver’s seat

ensure the reversing light is powerful and aligned for any night-time action

brief your passenger if a novice, on procedure for hill failures and exit routes

Braking:

give your footbrake and handbrake good firm ‘function’ tests both before and during the trial in safe places, such as at controls and waiting in queues

consider installing a hydraulic handbrake – more powerful and reassuring, and there’s plenty of advice out there

Steering:

wrap a yellow tape band around the steering wheel rim at the straight ahead spot

2. Stopped on a Section

Awareness:

listen to the marshals’ instructions

take a good look around and behind you for any obstacles or people, check mirrors

keep your passenger seated in the car unless otherwise instructed

Braking (Older) :

apply the handbrake firmly

switch off the engine and engage reverse gear

Braking (Modern) :

apply both footbrake AND handbrake firmly

leave the engine running in forward gear and press the clutch pedal down

STOP and take a breather if it is long and twisty, recover and then continue

Braking (Older) :

release the handbrake and keep off the footbrake

use the compression of the dead engine to allow a steady descent

Braking (Modern) :

lightly release both brakes to let the car creep back

pulse the footbrake about 2 times / second to keep slip under control

when the car is steady, shift to use handbrake only, to regain your steering keep the clutch down, in gear, with the engine running

if you run wide, STOP, shunt forward and try again

Steering:

try to keep all wheels in the ruts around bends

DON’T let the car sweep round sideways across a steep hill

keep the car pointing uphill until it’s safe to turn around

Once you are safely back down, thank any parties who may have helped you, take a breath and maybe ‘uncrick’ your neck! Above all, practice these guidelines perhaps at a single venue trial where experts can advise, take…your…time and be safe!

The organising team are very pleased to announce that the Clee Hills Classic Trial is back on the ACTC trialling calendar for 2016, having taken a sabbatical last time owing to a trials calendar clash.

We have taken the opportunity to respond to our post-event survey and to ring a few changes. These begin with (pardon the pun) a new start and finish venue just north of Craven Arms, a welcoming and spacious inn that can accommodate the space needed for on-site scrutineering and trailer parking, offer morning butties by the dozen, plus meals after you finish.

The route is refreshed, featuring more tracks and less mud, yet still running the twin loop system that gets us all done in the mid-winter daylight. There’s more common use of sections, meaning more sporting enjoyment for the marshals and a consistent flow of competitors.

There will be a few more challenges for the expert drivers, but also new incentives to welcome the trialling novice to our wonderful motorsport. So for those of you who know of a prospective trialler, perhaps we can entice them out on a road based Classic Trial. About 70 miles around Wenlock Edge and the delightful Long Mynd, some old lanes and some woodland, and relatively non-damaging in our Class 0 option for those without a comps license.

Success can come from any class: 2014’s trial was won by James Shallcross (Class 1), while 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall were claimed by Classes 5, 4 and 2!

The reputation for strong organisation and spectacular Shropshire scenery remain, so we look forward to your support: please consider putting Sunday 24th January in your sporting diary, and we’ll keep you updated soon through the event website www.cleehillstrial.info and this ACTC site. Regs will be out next month. We recognise that it’s just two weeks after the Exeter, so don’t worry – we offer a refund if you suffer in the Hams and have to withdraw your entry. Finally, as always, if you’re unable to compete, please consider a day out marshalling instead – we do offer a prize draw!